–not your momma's goulash–

vintage

Happy New Year Gungie readers! Resolutions anyone? Mine are mostly just project lists for each room of our house. The challenge for me, since I seem to have design ADD, is to just commit to one room, and finish it. I’m starting with the parts of our home that are exposed to the most general traffic. I think that’s a smart way to begin. Hopefully, I will have the nerve to show you the progress as things move along.

As for sewing, well, isn’t it always about stash busting? Use what you have, and avoid spending on new fabric! Also, pattern busting for me. I have been psyched to buy several patterns, but then I strangely avoid them. I don’ t know why. My Washi pattern is giving me the stink eye right now! I’ll get to you, dammit!

This was my first time sewing one of Jessica’s patterns. It went perfectly! Really well written with lots of pictures. I sewed the 18 month size for a dear friend’s first baby, with the thought that she can wear it next spring when she will be walking. That must be such a strange thing to imagine for the mother of a two month old! Her teeny little girl will be up and walking this time next year. Its wild!

I definitely considered doing the bodice in the floral print, but I waited until I had all pieces constructed to decide. It came down to the piping. Doesn’t it always? I loved the turquoise piping with the turquoise buttons, and those features just wouldn’t pop against the floral fabric. So red dots all the way!

I was hoping Corinne would be up for modeling this, but I caught her too close to nap time. Wes was my next choice, but I just couldn’t do that to him again. It’s still too soon. So, on the hanger it is.

Ah, it feels good to have one sewing project under my belt in the new year. What will be next? Unfortunately, I think it will have to be some theme sewing for Jet’s 7th birthday party. I haven’t yet seen fabric Minion bunting on Pinterest yet, so I’ll have to think it up myself.

Suz from Sewpony has created this pdf dress pattern inspired by one of her favorite children’s books, Debbie’s Birthday Party. The pattern features a classic A-line style dress, with a button and loop closure at the back. You can see the two views above, one with a sweet peter pan collar, center seam, pocket, and buttons. The other with a separate bodice and trim.

Suz asked if I’d test the 18 month size for my little Corinne, and since I’m a good vintage-loving girl, of course I said YES.

Behold, My Little Debbie!

For my dress (View 2), I repurposed a chambray skirt, used a cute apple grid print for the collar, and lined the bodice with red cotton. I decided forgo the pocket and steal the trim idea from View 1, extending it all the way down the length of the dress- I used ivory lace hem tape.

I stitched two white buttons on to the front, but for the back I decided to tie it all together by using this red apple button. Coco’s big sis thought that was pretty cute. Ellery loves to help pick out Corinne’s clothes in the morning, and this dress is often her first choice.

Smart little stylist wouldn’t you say?

I love the length of the dress- it hits Corinne about an inch above the knee, but you could easily add length if you wanted. On a little gal like Coco though, it’s a good excuse to show off some cute bloomers or her chunky thighs (which I’ve been devouring lately).

I envision her wearing this in the Fall wrapped up with a cozy little cardigan… and of course knee socks and mary janes, like Suz did here– so adorable!

I’d highly recommend this pattern to a beginner sewer who is dabbling into making garments. The pattern is loaded with clear pictures for each step, and a very handy pattern map which really helps the cutting out and taping process. I sewed my Debbie up one rare afternoon while my entire crew was napping, and it was blissful.

I’d say the only thing that took some time for me was the peter pan collar. It was the second one I’d ever done, and I forgot to mark front and back (as suggested!) so when it was time to sew the pieces together I was stumped…but well worth it- I love those apples.

And that face.

I like that you can stay in the vintage realm here but you could totally go another direction with this pattern (like this rainbow one Sanae did here for KCW– gorgeous!)- it’s a simple design that is a great starting point for your own creative interpretation.

Suz is offering a 20% discount on this pattern for the duration of the blog tour. Just visit her etsy shop, Sewpony Vintage to purchase and don’t forget to use the code BLOGTOUR1. And keep your eye out for more vintage-inspired patterns from Suz in the future!

We are so glad that Kristin and Jess invited us to participate in this year’s Vintage May series- and wow, what a line-up of talented ladies!

We’re not worthy! We’re not worthy!

If you are new here, Welcome! We are so happy you’re here.

Last year, we sewed along during Vintage May, using floral sheets from yesteryear- here and here. This year we got our Fraulein Maria on, repurposing bed linens into playclothes for our brood- that’s 6 kids altogether!

Okay, so we were a teensy bit excited for our FIRST GUEST POST! ::sister high-fives all around::

Some of our looks were designed around the unique beauty of vintage bedding, and some just have touches of them, as you’ll see below. Repurposing sheets and pillowcases is great since a lot of the work is already done for you in the form of seams and hems- just make sure to wash them up in some yummy-smelling detergent. You might find the aroma to be uniquely “vintage” as well. 😉

Caroline: Thinking about vintage looks for the boys, I kept coming back to this child actor, who was in some of our other favorite childhood movies (Swiss Family Robinson, Pollyanna, and Toby Tyler). You know him right? He’s the same in all those movies- scrappy, mischevious, and somewhat annoying. But he’s so cute in the hats and knickers and suspenders! So for Jet, I worked up a pair of HG tour pants using a plaid pillowcase for the stripe. I decided to chop the pants below the knee to encourage summertime boyish mayhem. Get it? May–hem? I love a good sewing pun. The suspenders are simply made with 1″ elastic, and upcycled leather + buttons.

Erin: I fell in love with the details and colors of this pillowcase and knew right away that it needed to be a top for Ell. I utilized the entire thing. Normally, I’d leave the existing pillowcase hem for something like this, but I wanted to use the yellow in the flutter straps and the chest band, so I ended up cutting off a good chunk of the bottom. The back closes with a big vintage button and elastic loop. The shorts are E and E’s bubble pocket sailor shorts pattern in yarn-dyed Essex Linen. I love all the buttons! You can get a better glimpse of them up in that first picture.

Caroline: Avery’s look is also reminiscent of Pollyanna. If you need a fix, watch this. I loved her drop-waisted dresses and sailor ties. Avery’s modernized version (say if Pollyanna were to take up tennis) begins with a Flashback tee (minus the sleeves) on top and vintage pillowcase on the bottom. I simply cut the pillowcase in half and pleated it to match the circumference up top. Using the same pillowcase, I made bias tape and stitched it around the collar and arm holes.

ERIN: I love the idea of little boys in vests, but it’s not a look you really see anymore. So, I decided to try one out for Grant using Lindsay’s tutorial modifying it into a racerback… and I love it! I made it with Essex linen (same as Ell’s shorts), and the pockets are cut from the hem of a pillowcase. The inside is a pretty yellow floral sheet (the most masculine one I had). Grant’s pants are based on the Parsley pants pattern, but modified a bit to make them skinnier, and of course shorter. If we had a creek out back, you bet this boy would be wading it.

Erin: For Corinne, I definitely wanted to keep it easy! I love the idea of a one-piece outfit for babies, so I made some bloomers from a sweet pillowcase I had and then attached it to a basic tank onesie- I used 1/4″ elastic to gather the leg holes, and added 3 snaps at the crotch. I thought it’d be fun to add a faux peter pan collar since, they were and are all the rage, aren’t they? I appliqued some shiny gold fabric and added a sweet ivory ribbon rosebud in the center. It’s pretty, but so practical for summer days. (note to self: make more of these.)

Caroline: Wes is wearing faux-suspenders (grosgrain ribbon, d-rings, steam-a-seam) attached to a onesie, along with pillowcase lined pants (based on A.M.H’s Quick Change Trousers). His newsboy cap is from this free online pattern/video tutorial that I found for an adult, and eventually had success with scaling it down for a small head.

Do you remember this part in the Sound of Music?

Captain Von Trapp: “Do you mean to tell me that my children have been roaming about Salzburg dressed up in nothing but some old DRAPES?”

Fraulein Maria: “Mmm-hmmm. And having a MARVELOUS time!”

Duh!

Thank you all for stopping by! Come back tomorrow for a tutorial on Corinne’s pillowcase romper- it’s an easy one! 🙂

And if you know what’s good for you, check out today’s other Vintage May post by Jessica of Happy Together. Thanks again Kristin and Jess for letting us in on the fun!

While looking around blogland for Gatsby-inspired digs (can’t wait for this movie AND Vintage May!), I stumbled upon this random free pattern and instructional video for a “flat cap”. Thought I’d give it a try. But I wasn’t sure about how to get the right size for printing. What’s a dpi anyway?

Whatever I ended up with looked about right for a kid…okay maybe a baby, I’ve got one of those.

Wrong.

I knew it as I got halfway in. But I was having so much fun! It’s actually a great pattern!

My mother’s helper will love this for her AGDs!

Watch out for the food police! I love that my first rule is eat with utensils. That’s embarrasing.

We had some major laughs around here with each kid and husband trying this thing on!

Wes gives it

TWO SNAPS UP IN A ZIG ZAG FORMATION!

I’ll have another go at this soon, just increased it 30%, so wish me luck.

(side note- no matter how much you wash a vintage sheet, it still smells OLD. or, seasoned as i like to say….)

The above fabric is from the same pillowcase that this dress was made from.

These are going to be for a certain special girl’s 5th birthday party coming up in April. I am making one for each of her little guests. Hence the production line! We’ll be having a little girl’s luncheon in our backyard garden and I’m excited to plan for it- I’m usually not big on birthday hoopla for little kiddos (a ton of work/stress/money- plus all three of my babies have birthdays within a month of each other!) but, now that Ellery is old enough to help me with ideas and planning, it’s actually something I’m looking forward to! Except that every day she tells me EXACTLY what she’d like her cake to look like… different every day of course!

I like that these crowns (which they can wear for the party AND take home…) don’t cost a lot, but are made with a lot of love.

Well, I had to get in on the Vintage May action too, especially when I came upon this sheet set at Goodwill last month.

The woman in front of me was fairly certain that her parents used to own a set! Sweet. My thinking was to use it for muslins, as I wanted to delve into some more advanced sewing. But, then again, it would be great if I actually could wear my “practice” Spring Ruffle Top (minus the ruffles). What do you think?

I like it! You can find this tutorial by Rae, which appeared as a guest post a couple of years ago, on Sew Mama Sew, or in Rae’s tutorial section. Looked easy enough, and I was really excited about maternity alterations that were suggested by another contributor (help, can’t find a link to the woman who made a few of these, one with a tie on the bottom hem?). Anyhoo, yes, I said it, maternity. 16 weeks ya’ll! And now for the baby bump reveal…

Due date is very close to my birthday in early November, but I’m targeting Halloween, cause I just love it. I don’t think I will have any trouble fitting into this as I expand, it is pretty roomie. The new skill I attempted was adding piping to the bust seam and straps! Check it out… and allow me to enjoy my temporarily voluptuous (ha!) bosom.

I thought the addition of the lime green piping added to the retro-vintage vibe.

I hemmed the back piece a good bit shorter than the front. You kinda have to try it on and figure it out for yourself a bit. I really wished I’d included the arm divots, but it wasn’t making sense to me in the tutorial pics. I needed my mom to help me, but she was out-of-town!

Attempting a pigeon-toed pose.

I can just hear my childhood ballet teachers scolding me now. Seriously though, what’s with all the pigeon-toed poses out there?

Anyway, I’m pretty psyched to be sewing for myself for a change. I have a few more ideas up my sleeve, and some pretty fabric to cut up, so stay tuned.

Just for fun, I whipped up a couple of “Garden Skirts” for Ellery and Avery out of the big sheet.

Nice fourth position Ell!

I might have to make a grown up Garden Skirt. I actually have yet to sew with elastic thread, gonna try it.

Do you hear that? That’s the sound of my sewing machine being revved up for the first time in 7 weeks!

Ahhh… so nice.

I really needed to get back to the sewing world- I didn’t know I’d miss it so much! Anyway, I took Corinne on her first thrift store trip the other day and we scored some good stuff, including a few vintage pillowcases for $.50 each. With all the Vintage May goodness going on at Skirt As Top and Craftiness Is Not Optional, I was inspired to bring one back to modern day life.

A quick and simple dress involving nothing more than a plain tank top and a pillowcase.

Hello, Cheap and Easy!

Wanna make one? Then read on….

Okay. Raid your Grandma’s linen closet, or hit up your local Goodwill for a pillowcase. (Random fact: according to the tag, this one was made close by in Danville, Virginia. Sweet! How’s that for going local?)

Grab a basic tank. This one is from Walmart and was probably $2…

Next, get an existing dress that fits your little girl well. Use it as a guide for measuring the length to which you’ll cut your tank, and the length of your skirt piece.

Add an inch to the tank and to the skirt piece to allow for a seam allowance.

**For my average-sized 4 year old, I cut my tank about 3″ below the bottom of the armhole.

**I cut the pillowcase skirt piece 17″ long**

Most pillowcases have one side seam. This seam will then become the middle of the back of your dress.

Next, mark the center of the front of the skirt piece. Make some some pleats 5-6″ across the front. I kind of winged it (wung it?)- mine are about 1/2″ wide. It helps to iron them down a bit.

Pin those pleats, and then sew vertically about 1″ down the fold of each pleat to keep it in place. Also sew across the raw edge of the pleated area using a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Next, you want to sew a gathering stitch (use your longest stich length and don’t backstitch at either end!) from one edge of your pleated area to the other edge of your pleated area using a 1/2″ seam allowance. **don’t sew along the pleats!

Measure the width of your child’s chest. Gather your skirt piece to equal that measurement PLUS a good 2″. Ellery’s measurement is 21″, so I gathered my skirt piece to be about 23″ wide. **pull on the long threads that are at the ends of your gathering stitch to create the gathers- i try to keep most of the gathers in the back of the skirt piece since the front piece is pleated. This will make sure that your dress has some nice flow room in the front and the back of the dress. Make sense?

Okay. Next, turn your skirt piece inside out. Then, insert your tank top (neckline first) into the skirt piece. The back seam of your skirt should line up with the back tag of the tank top (right sides together). Meet the raw edges together and pin in place. This can seem confusing the first time you do it, but think about it for a minute and you’ll get it!

(p.s. once you learn this technique, it is easy to turn any shirt into a dress!! Even for yourself!)

If you hold it up, it should look like this.

(Thanks to sis Caroline for helping! Oh, and for taking my kid strawberry picking so I could actually get time to do all this!! You da best.)

Okay, next you’re going to sew the tank to the skirt. You’ll need to handwind elastic thread onto a bobbin (this video can help you if you’ve never done this). Sew completely around the skirt using a 5/8″ seam. Sew one more line of stitches very close to the previous one- just for good measure. Using the elastic thread technique will ensure that the dress can be pulled on and off easily and have some give, but also fit your child snug around the chest.

*You can then serge, zigzag stitch, or use pinking shears to finish your seam- my serger is tucked away at the moment, so i haven’t gotten around to it yet*

When you’re done, pull your tank top back up and it looks like this:

Now turn your dress right side out to admire your handiwork. And my sisters well-tanned arm. No fair.

Give it to your girl!

I love how simple this dress looks, and I like the front being pleated instead of gathered…but I thought it needed a little more detail.
So I sewed a piece of ivory lace to the neckline of the tank (sorry no photo of that, but you can figure it out- use a zigzag stitch.)

Here is the real finished dress… and my sweet girl being the BEST child model ever! No bribes needed!

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(…really mom…get me out of this scratchy, snake-infested field already…)

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Thanks for visiting!

-Erin

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